Elevating dump ramp

ABSTRACT

AN ELEVATING RAMP FOR USE WITH BEET PILERS. THE RAMP IS ARRANGED TO HAVE A LEVEL DUMP SECTION, AN UPWARDLY INCLINED APPROACH-SECTION AND A DOWNWARDLY INCLINED EXIT SECTION. THE EXIT SECTION INCLUDES A PORTION ARRANGED TO BE RAISED SUCH THAT IT FORMS A LEVEL OR UPWARDLY EXTENDING CONTINUATION OF THE LEVEL SECTION AND THE LEVEL SECTION INCLUDES PIVOTABLE HOPPER PLATES THROUGH WHICH TRUCKS POSITIONED ON THE LEVEL SECTION AND THE RAISED DOWN SECTION CAN DUMP THEIR LOADS.

P 29, 1'971 J. M. SILVER 3,606,050

ELEVATING DUMP RAMP Filed June 23, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG I INVENTOR. JOSEPH M. SILVER ATTORNEY Sept. 20, 1971 J. SILVER nmvxrme mmr RAMP Filed June 23 1969 4 Sheets-Shasta INVENTOR. JOSEPH M. SILVER FIG AT TORNE Y p 20, 1971 J. M. SILVER 3,606,050

ELEVATING DUMP RAMP Filed June 23, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. JOSEPH M. SILVER ATTORNEY p 1971 J. M. SILVER ELEVA'I'ING DUMP RAMP 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed June 23 1969 FIG IO 28 so I INMFNTOR: JOSERH M. SILVER Inn/3 2 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,606,050 ELEVATING DUMP RAMP Joseph M. Silver, 185 23rd St., Ogden, Utah 84401 Filed June 23, 1969, Ser. No. 835,453 Int. Cl. B65g 67/24 US. Cl. 21446 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An elevating ramp for use with beet pilers. The ramp is arranged to have a level dump section, an upwardly inclined a proach-section and a downwardly inclined exit section. The exit section includes a portion arranged to be raised such that it forms a level or upwardly extending continuation of the level section and the level section includes pivotable hopper plates through which trucks positioned on the level section and the raised down section can dump their loads.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION Field of the invention This invention relates to beet pilers and the like and especially to traveling beet pilers. It is particularly concerned with maintaining the overall size of such pilers to a minimum, while still enabling them to accommodate dump vehicles having very long wheel bases.

Prior art In the past, it has been common for beet growers to bring truck loads of beets to a centralized beet piler where the beets are dumped. The piler then partially cleans and piles the beets in rows to be picked up and used as the refinery is ready to process them. The

growers have usually delivered their beets in rear dumping trucks and at the piler they conventionally drive over a conveyor belt and then dump onto the belt, which starts the beets through the piler conveyor system. The ramps on which the trucks drive to pass over the conveyor belt are an integral part of the piler and, if the piler is movable, the ramps must be able to move therewith. The ramps, under the best of circumstances, are rather long, since they must provide an approach section serving as a gradual incline up to a level above the conveyor belt on which the beets are to be dumped, a level dump section bridging the conveyor belt and a downwardly inclined exit section.

Recently, many of the trucks used by the growers have been designed to have longer wheel bases than the trucks used previously. As a result, with previously used ramp constructions, it is not always possible for the front and rear sets of wheels of all trucks to be on the level bridging section of the ramp when the back of the truck is adjacent the conveyor hopper through which the truck load is to be dumped to the belt conveyor. Consequently, the front wheels of the truck may be on the exit section and the truck may be inclined downwardly at such an angle that the truck bed will not properly dump into the hopper above the receiving conveyor.

The invention Obviously, one solution for this would be to increase the length of the level section of the ramp. This would means an increased overall length of the ramp or a steeper angle of one or of both of the inclined sections in order to maintain the overall ramp length. These solutions are not satisfactory. If the steeper approach and exit sections are used the vehicles with long wheel bases are apt to high center, i.e. the frame and other lower structure of the center of the vehicle between the "ice axlesmay engage the junction of the inclined ramp sec tions and the level section and drag. If the other solution is used, i.e. making the entire ramp longer, it is difficult and expensive to support such a long ramp for travel with the rest of the beet piler and, frequently, there is not room available for such an extended ramp.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a ramp, having gradual but relatively short inclined sections and a short central section, that will accommodate virtually any standard short or long wheel base vehicle.

Other objects are to provide a ramp that will position all dump trucks, regardless of their wheel base lengths, for proper dumping, and to provide a ramp that is safe to use.

Principal features of the invention include an exit section of the ramp having an elevating portion that will raise to accommodate a vehicle thereon so that the front wheels are at least level with the rear wheels on the level section. A drag plate closes the opening formed at the front of the elevating portion as it is raised, flexible curtains seal the sides thereof, and guide posts serve as closures at the corners, between the drag plate and the curtains, so that drivers, workmen and others will not inadvertently get their arms or legs caught as the exit ramp section is again lowered.

Additional objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and drawings, disclosing what is presently contemplated as being the best mode of the invention.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the ramp of the invention, mounted to pass over a cross conveyor of a movable beet piler, shown fragmentarily;

FIG. 2, a side elevation view;

FIG. 3, a view like FIG. 1, with the ramp passing over a direct feed conveyor of a beet piler, shown fragmentarily;

FIG. 4, an end elevation view of the ramp of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5, a fragmentary perspective view of the invention, showing the elevating portion of the exit section in its lowered position;

FIG. 6, a view like that of FIG. 5, but with the elevating portion in its raised position;

FIG. 7, a longitudinal section, taken on the line 77 of FIG. 1 and with the raised position of the elevating portion of the exit section shown in dotted lines;

FIG. 8, a schematic diagram of the fluid controls for the elevating portion;

FIG. 9, a side elevation view of a ramp of the invention with a dump truck thereon and the elevating portion in its lowermost position; and

FIG. 10, a view like FIG. 9, but with the elevating portion raised.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings:

In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the ramp of the invention includes an upwardly inclined approach section 10, a level dump section 11, and a downwardly inclined exit section 12. The level dump section is arranged to pass over a cross conveyor 14, such as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or over a feed conveyor 15, such as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

If the cross conveyor 14 is used, it is arranged to discharge onto a feed conveyor 15 and the path of trucks in entering, dumping onto the cross conveyor and leaving the piler is parallel to the feed conveyor.

In either case, the upwardly inclined approach section provides a solid upwardly inclined wear surface mounted on skids or rollers, not shown, so that it will move with the rest of the piler and conventional bracing and support structures are provided beneath the upper surface of the approach section. The level dump section includes a pair of pivoted cover plates 18 and 19, each adapted to move from a raised position forming a hopper wall to a lowered, overlapped position forming a platform.

A cover plate 18 is hinged at to the approach section and another cover plate 19 is hinged at 21 to a fixed portion 11a of the level dump section that also forms a shelf on which the plate 18 rests when it is in its lowered position. Hydraulic cylinders 22 have their housings 22a pivotally connected at 2212 to opposite sides of the fixed portion 11a of the dump section and their rods 22c pivotally connected to the plate 18, intermediate its length, at 22a. The extension and retraction of the rods 220 will, therefore, pivot the plate 18 between an upright, substantially vertical position (FIGS. 1 and 2) and a lowered position (FIGS. 3 and 4) forming a part of the drive surface of the dump section of the ramp.

Plate 19 is smaller than plate 18 and pivots in the same direction as plate 18. Plate 19 is normally spring biased upwardly by an enclosed spring 23 (FIG. 2), such that it forms a low, inclined forward wall of a hopper. The plate 19 is forced to a lowered position by rollers 24 on the ends of arms 25 carried by plate 18, at opposite sides thereof. As plate 18 pivots downwardly, the arms 25 reach to the plate 19 and the rollers 24 contact the plate 19 and simultaneously force it down with the plate 18, until both form surfaces of the dump section of the ramp, with the plate 18 then bridging over the conveyor on which beets are to be dumped. The plates 18 and 19 and the operating mechanisms therefor, are Well known and are readily commercially available. Thus, it is not believed necessary to describe them in further detail and the description herein given is merely to provide a full understanding of the combination of the invention.

Exit section 12 of the ramp includes a support frame made up of downwardly inclined, longitudinal rails 26 fixed to and extending from the level central section 11 and terminating in a cross beam 27 at the lowermost end thereof. One or more posts 28 can also be provided to extend transversely to the rails 26, intermediate their length. The posts then serve to provide transverse support and to stiffen the exit section. A solid traffic wear surface 29 is fixed to the top of the lowermost ends of the rails 26, and surface extensions 30 are preferably connected to the beam 27 in the path of wheel travel off of the ramp. The extensions are tapered so that substantially continuous surfaces are presented from the solid traffic surface 29 to the ground.

Additional longitudinal rails 31, positioned between rails 26, each have one of their ends pivotally connected at 32 to the support frame, adjacent to the level central section. A solid traffic wear surface 33 is provided on the top of rails 31 and when the rails 31 are in their lowermost position between rails 26, the traffic surface 33 is aligned with the traffic surface 29 at the lower end of the exit ramp.

Double acting hydraulic cylinders 35 have their housings 35a each secured to a web 36 interconnecting adjacent rails 26. The rod 36b of each cylinder is pivotally connected at 37 to the junction of the ends of a pair of links 38 and 39, and the links 38 and 39 are respectively pivotally connected at 40 to ends of links 41 and 42, the other ends of which are pivotally connected at 43 to an car 45 on the web 36.

The links 38 and 41 are pivotally connected on a shaft 46 that is fixed between rails 31, beneath the traffic surface 33.

Operation of the cylinders 35 to expel the rods 3512 will move the pivot connections 37 away from the cylinder housings and lower the links 38 and 41 and the shaft 46. This lowers the rails 31 and the traffic surface 33 until it rests on rails 26 and is contiguous with the traffic surface 29 to form a continuous, downwardly inclined 4 exit section of the ramp. If, however, the cylinders 35 are operated to retract the rods 3512, the links 38 and 41 are raised, along with shaft 46, and the trafiic surface 33 carried thereby until the trafiic wear surface 33 forms a level or upwardly raised continuation of the upper surface of the dump section.

Curb rails 50 are fixed above the outermost rails 31, at each side of the traffic surface 33 and when the movable portion of the ramp, comprising rails 31, surface 33, and curb rails 50 are lowered, these curb rails are in align ment with similar rails 51 on the other portions of the ramp.

Flexible curtains 52 are secured at their tops to curb rails 50 and at their bottoms to the outermost rails 26. As the movable portion of the ramp is raised the curtains are pulled taught and as the movable portion is lowered the curtains fold outwardly, out of the way of the lowering structure. At all times the curtains provide protection against objects getting crushed between or moving into the ramp from the side and the solid and movable portions.

A guard plate 53 is hingedly connected at 53a to the end of the traffic surface 31 of the movable section. The plate is arranged to slide on spaced guide plates 54, embedded in the traflic surface 29. Guard plate 53 extends fully across the end of the movable section that is raised and lowered and is made sufliciently wide that it is wider than the distance the traffic surface 33 rises above the traflic surface 26, so it will freely slide on guide plates 54 as the movable portion is raised and lowered and will not move into a position normal to the surfaces to obstruct lowering of the movable portion. Plate 53 thus serves as a solid shield preventing objects from moving between the traffic surfaces 31 and 29 and into the opening formed as the movable section is raised and lowered. Such objects could, of course, otherwise prevent full downward travel of the movable section, or if the object otherwise inserted was part of a person, severe injuries could result.

An upstanding post 57 is affixed to the top of each curb rail 50, adjacent the movable section. The posts are curved at 57a, FIG. 7, to provide a surface followed by the edge of wear surface 33 as it is raised. The posts thus block entrance of undesired objects to the opening formed by the raised movable section at the corners where curtains 52 and plate 53 do not provide effective protection.

In operation, the hydraulic cylinders 35 are operated through a conventional flow divider circuit, shown schematically at 59 to raise the movable section until wear surface 33 is at or above the height of the wear surface of the level section. A truck 60 is then driven up the ap-- proach section 10 and across the cover plates 18 and 19 forming part of the level dump section until the rear wheels of the truck are on section 11 and the rear end of the truck bed extends over the plate 19. The cover plates 18 and 19 are opened as described, and the truck bed 61 is ready to be dumped. After dumping, the movable section is again lowered to form an exit ramp and the truck is driven from the ramp. The truck is thus easily positioned for effective unloading, regardless of its wheel base length and the overall length of the ramp is kept to a desired minimum. Because the movable section of ramp is preferably raised before the truck is driven on the cylinders, links and other support structure need only be designed to support the ramp section and truck and not necessarily to raise the loaded truck. If desired, a warning bumper 69 can be placed on the wear surface 33 to indicate to drivers that they are approaching the end of the movable section and to warn them that continued travel will move the truck over the end of the movable section when it is raised.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed other forms could obviously come within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. An elevating ramp for use on beet pilers comprising an upwardly inclined approach section;

a level dump section extending outwardly from the upper end of the approach section, and including pivoted cover plates adapted to be pivoted to one position to form walls of a hopper and to be pivoted to another position to form a portion of a wear surface of the level dump section;

an exit section including a support frame inclined downwardly from the level dump section and a movable section pivoted upwardly from the support frame and having a wear surface thereon adapted to be raised with the movable section whereby it is at least level with the wear surface of the dump section and forms substantially a continuation of the wear surface of the level dump section; and

means for pivotally raising and lowering the said movable section, said means being capable of maintaining said movable section in its raised position when a loaded truck has at least its front wheels thereon.

2. An elevating ramp as in claim 1, wherein the lower end of the support frame supports a wear surface adapted to align with the wear surface of the movable section when the movable section is in its lowermost position.

3. An elevating ramp as in claim 2, further including flexible curtains interconnecting the sides of the movable section and the sides of the support frame.

4. An elevating ramp as in claim 2, including a guard plate hingedly connected to the front of the wear surface of the movable section; and

at least one guide plate on the wear surface at the lower end of the support frame arranged such that the guard plate slides on each guide plate as the movable section is raised and lowered.

5. An elevating ramp as in claim 1, wherein the means for pivotally raising and lowering the movable section, comprises at least one hydraulic cylinder having its housing fixed to the support frame and at least one pair of pivotally connected links, one of said links being pivotally connected to the support frame and the other being pivotally connected to the cylinder rod, and the junction of the said links being arranged to engage the movable section.

6. In combination a beet piler having a conveyor belt to receive beets thereon;

an elevating ramp including an upwardly inclined approach section;

a level dump section extending outwardly from the upper end of the approach section, and including pivoted cover plates adapted to be pivoted to one position to form walls of a hopper above the conveyor belt, and to be pivoted to another position to form a portion of a wear surface of the level dump section;

an exit section including a support frame inclineddownwardly from the level dump section and a movable section pivoted upwardly from the support frame at the end of the level dump section, and having a wear surfacethereon adapted to be raised therewith whereby it is at least level with the wear surface of the dump section and forms a continuation of the wear surface of the level dump section; and

means for pivotally raising and lowering the said movable section, said means being capable of maintaining said movable section in its raised position when a loaded truck has at least its front wheels thereon.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein the lower end of the support frame supports a wear surface adapted to align with the wear surface of the movable section when the movable section is in its lowermost position.

8. The combination of claim 6, further including flexible curtains interconnecting the sides of the movable section and the sides of the support frame.

9. The combination of claim 6, including a guard plate hingedly connected to the front of the wear surface of the movable section; and

at least one guide plate on the wear surface at the lower end of the support frame arranged such that the guard plate slides on each guide plate as the movable section is raised and lowered.

10. The combination of claim 6, wherein the means for pivotally raising and lowering the movable section, comprises at least one hydraulic cylinder having its housing fixed to the support frame and at least one pair of pivotally connected links, one of said links being pivotally connected to the support frame and the other being pivotally connected to the cylinder rod, and the junction of the said links being arranged to engage the movable section.

References Cited EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner W. S. CARSON, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

